Coffee Production in Okinawa, Morgan Eckroth on Life After WBC, and Bleached Coffee Filters

• What makes coffee production in Okinawa unique?

  By Rachel Keen for Perfect Daily Grind

  “A small part of Japan also technically lies in the Bean Belt, meaning it has the right climatic conditions for coffee production. The Okinawa Islands, located some 26 degrees north of the Tropics, are home to around 30 coffee farms which produce small quantities of green coffee. […] Although Okinawa is by no means a major coffee producing region, the expertise on the island and the conditions mean it does have the potential to yield high-quality beans. The island’s unique terrain and climate can impart desirable flavours to the coffee – with some producers and roasters claiming that no two harvests yield the same results.”

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• US Barista Champ Morgan Eckroth On Life After WBC (And What’s Next)

  By Sprudge

  “Always with a flare for the dramatic, Eckroth’s routine in Melbourne included not one but two high end coffees—the Eugenioides and Sudan Rume, both from Colombia’s Cafe Inmaculada and roasted by Onyx Coffee Lab—as well as a show-stopping moment involving the smashing of espresso cups. This before serving judges signature beverages in vessels repaired using kintsugi, a centuries-old Japanese technique of repairing pottery with gold.”

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• Should You Avoid Buying Bleached Coffee Filters?

  By Sylvia Tomczak for Tasting Table

  “Brewing the perfect cup of coffee relies on a few key elements like fresh grounds, distilled water, and […] good quality coffee filters. The question is, which filters result in a better-tasting java: bleached or unbleached?”

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